Luis Salgado

Are there any reasons why to buy a home in this bad economy?

Those who are brave enough could find a great opportunity of a lifetime.

First-Time Homebuyers tempting to buy their first home are in for good deals. Affordable housing: homes are more affordable to buy now than a couple of years ago; large inventory: a large selection of homes gives buyers different choices; low rates: rates are very attractive for conforming and FHA backed loans; and better yet, if you are a first time home buyer you can get $8,000 federal tax credit. The purchase of the home should be before December 1^st, 2009 to qualify for this tax credit, talk to your tax specialist about this credit.

So if you are shopping for a new home in this market what you can do, is to ask for price reductions, closing costs, some repairs and the seller will be more than glad to accommodate some of your requests or their home will be in the market for long.

I am a Real Estate Consultant in Chicago, Do you have a Real Estate Question? How can I help you? Tambien Hablo Español.

Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/LuisSalgado

Source: Amy Hoak, Pittsburg Post-Gazette. Pittsburg, Pa.: Feb 15, 2009. pg. F.4

This week is the 25th Anniversary of the Chicago Latino Film Festival. The event is full of films from Latin America, Spain, Portugal and the United States. It is a great alternative for moviegoers to see different kind of films. More than 100 films will be featured at many venues including Landmark Century Centre Cinema @ 2828 N Clark Street in the Lake View neighborhood and Facets Multimedia @ 1517 W Fullerton in Lincoln Park among other community venues in the city and the suburbs. Visit the LatinoCulturalCenter.org for more info.

The Opening Night was last Friday with the film El Regalo (The Gift) from Chile. This week is the Noche Mexicana (Wednesday April 22, 2009) my favorite event, the film featured will be Arrancame la Vida (Tear this Heart Out) from Mexico with Ana Claudia Talancon (Nacho Libre). Also this week is the Night of Spain (Friday April 24, 2009) the film featured will be Lo Mejor de mi (The Best of Me) from Spain.

Don't Miss it, maybe I will see you at any event. Enjoy!!!

I wanted to attend the Talk that Sandra Cisneros was having @ the Washington Library Center's Pritzker Auditorium in downtown Chicago last night. Due to unexpected turnout, I wasn't able to sit and listen to what she had to say. At least 100 people had to go home and not listen to her experience writing The House on Mango Street which is now celebrating its 25th anniversary. This book was chosen by the City of Chicago for the Chicago Public Library's One Book One Chicago program with is held twice a year. I had to go back later for the book signing, this time I was able to get a ticket and at least I had my book singed by Sandra who is very down to earth, I had a couple of words with her and I took a picture with thanks to Cassandra who was nice to take my picture with Sandra.
I read this book las month for my Book Club Discussion Group @ the Toman Branch Library in Chicago's Little Village neighborhood.
If you have a chance to read this book, read it and you will experience how a Latino neighborhood in Chicago is like.

By the way I am now reading our next book Chronicle of a Death Foretold (Crónica de una muerte anunciada) by Gabriel Garcia Marquez for the Book Club Discussion Group (it is a Bilingual English and Spanish) which will be next May 13th at the Toman Branch Library.

OK, this is the third and last list of the Chicago Public Library branches that I talked to you on my last post(see below) If you are in The City of Chicago visit one of branches nearest you and enjoy all the CPL has to offer us, you will be surprised!!!

So the CPL system has 79 locations trhoughout the whole City and the system is divided in three districts, Central, North and South; this post only includes the North Distric. For more info visit Chicago Public Library.

Don't Forget to visit your neighborhood CPL, take advantage of what it has to offer.From Book Club Discusions to Community meetings to free Wi-Fi and free movie rental.

South District

Woodson Regional (South District Main Branch)
9525 S. Halsted Street
Chicago, IL 60628
(312) 747-6900
Neighborhood: Washington Heights

Chicago Lawn (South Side)
6120 S. Kedzie Avenue
Chicago, IL 60629
(312) 747-0639
Neighborhood: Chicago Lawn

West Lawn (Southwest Side)
4020 W. 63rd Street
Chicago, IL 60629
(312) 747-7381
Neighborhood: West Lawn

Clearing (Southwest Side)
6423 W. 63rd Place
Chicago, IL 60638
(312) 747-5657
Neighborhood: Clearing

Blackstone (South Side)
4904 S. Lake Park Avenue
Chicago, IL 60615
(312) 747-0511
Neighborhood: Hyde Park

Kelly Branch (South Side)
6151 S. Normal Boulevard
Chicago, IL 60621
(312) 747-8418
Neighborhood: Englewood

Wrightwood-Ashburn (South Side)
8530 S. Kedzie Avenue
Chicago, IL 60652
(312) 747-2696
Neighborhood: Ashburn

Thurgood Marshall (South Side)
7506 S. Racine Avenue
Chicago, IL 60620
(312) 747-5927
Neighborhood: Auburn Gresham

West Englewood (South Side)
1745 W. 63rd Street
Chicago, IL 60636
(312) 747-3481
Neighborhood: Englewood

Scottsdale (Far Southwest Side)
4101 W. 79th Street
Chicago, IL 60652
(312) 747-0193
Neighborhood: Scottsdale

Coleman ( South Side)
731 E. 63rd Street
Chicago, IL 60637
(312) 747-7760
Neighborhood: Woodlawn

South Shore (South Side)
2505 E. 73rd Street
Chicago, IL 60649
(312) 747-5281
Neighborhood: South Shore

Whitney M. Young, Jr. (South Side)
7901 S. King Drive
Chicago, IL 60619
(312) 747-0039
Neighborhood: Grand Crossing

Tuley Park (South Side)
501 E. 90th Place
Chicago, IL 60619
(312) 747-7608
Neighborhood: Chatham

Avalon (South Side)
8148 S. Stony Island Avenue
Chicago, IL 60617
(312) 747-5234
Neihgborhood: Avalon Park

Jeffery Manor (South Side)
2401 E. 100th Street
Chicago, IL 60617
(312) 747-6479
Neighborhood: Jeffre Manor

West Pullman (Far South Side)
830 W. 119th Street
Chicago, IL 60643
(312) 747-1425
Neihgborhood: West Pullman

Beverly (Far South Side)
2121 W. 95th Street
This branch is closed and they will open a new branch.
New address will be:
1962 W. 95th Street
Chicago, IL 60643
(312) 747-9673
Neighborhood: Beverly

Walker (Far South Side)
11071 S. Hoyne Avenue
Chicago, IL 60643
(312) 747-1920
Neighborhood: Morgan Park

Mount Greenwood (Far South Side)
11010 S. Kedzie Avenue
Chicago, IL 60655
(312) 747-2805
Neihgborhood: Mount Grenwood

Altgeld (Far South Side) Branch Closed
950 E. 132nd Place
Chicago, IL 60827
(312) 747-5952

Vodak-East Side (Far Southeast Side)
3710 E. 106th Street
Chicago, IL 60617
(312) 747-5500
Neighborhood: East Side

Hegewisch (Far Southeast Side)
3048 E. 130th Street
Chicago, IL 60633
(312) 747-0046
Neighborhood: Hegewisch

OK, I am back and this is the list of the Chicago Public Library branches that I talked to you on my last post(see below) If you are in The City of Chicago visit one of branches nearest you and enjoy all the CPL has to offer us, you will be surprised!!!

This is the second list of the CPL branches, nest post will be about the branches of the South District, my last post was for the Central District.

So the CPL system has 79 locations trhoughout the whole City and the system is divided in three districts, Central, North and South; this post only includes the North Distric. For more info visit Chicago Public Library.

North District

Sulzer Regional (North Side Main Branch)
4455 N. Lincoln Avenue
Chicago, IL 60625
(312) 744-7616
Neighborhood: Revanswood

Near North (North Side)
310 W. Division Street
Chicago, IL 60610
(312) 744-0991
Neighborhood: Gold Coast

Lincoln Park (North Side)
1150 W. Fullerton Avenue
Chicago, IL 60614
(312) 744-1926
Neighborhood: Lincoln Park

Merlo (North Side)
644 W. Belmont Avenue
Chicago, IL 60657
(312) 744-1139
Neighborhood: Lakeview

Bucktown-Wicker Park (West Side)
1701 N. Milwaukee Avenue
Chicago, IL 60647
(312) 744-6022
Neighborhood:Bucktown-Wicker Park

Logan Square (West Side)
3030 W. Fullerton Avenue
Chicago, IL 60647
(312) 744-5295
Neighborhood: Logan Square

Lincoln Belmont (North Side)
1659 W. Melrose Street
Chicago, IL 60657
(312) 744-0166
Neighborhood: Lakeview/Roscoe Village

Bezazian (North Side)
1226 W. Ainslie Street
Chicago, IL 60640
(312) 744-0019
Neighborhood: Uptown

Humboldt Park (West Side)
1605 N. Troy Street
(312) 744-2244
Neighborhood: Humboldt Park

Independence (Northwest Side)
3548 W. Irving Park Road
Chicago, IL 60618
(312) 744-0900
Neighborhood: Irving Park

Albany Park (Northwest Side)
5150 N. Kimball Avenue
Chicago, IL 60625
(312) 744-1933
Neighborhood: Albany Park

Mayfair (Northwest Side)
4400 W. Lawrence Avenue
Chicago, IL 60630
(312) 744-1254
Neighborhood: Mayfair

Austin-Irving (Northwest Side)
6100 W. Irving Park Road
Chicago, IL 60634
(312) 744-6222
Neighborhood: Portage Park

Portage-Cragin (Northwest Side)
5108 W. Belmont Avenue
Chicago, IL 60641
(312) 744-0152
Neighborhood: Portage Park

West Belmont (Northwest Side)
3104 N. Narragansett Avenue
Chicago, IL 60634
(312) 746-5142
Neighborhood: Belmont Cragin

Edgewater (North Side)
1210 W. Elmdale Avenue
Chicago, IL 60660
(312) 744-0718
Neighborhood: Edgewater

Rogers Park (Far North Side)
6907 N. Clark Street
Chicago, IL 60626
(312) 744-0156
Neighborhood: Rogers Park

Budlong Woods (North Side)
5630 N. Lincoln Avenue
Chicago, IL 60659
(312) 742-9590
Neighborhood: Lincoln Square

Northtown (Far North Side)
6435 N. California Avenue
Chicago, IL 60645
(312) 744-2292
Neighborhood: West Rogers Park

Edgebrook (Far Northwest Side)
5331 W. Devon Avenue
Chicago, IL 60646
(312) 744-8313
Neighborhood: Forest Glen

Roden (Far Northwest Side)
6083 N. Northwest Highway
Chicago, IL 60631
(312) 744-1478
Neighborhood: Edison Park

Oriole Park (Far Northwest Side)
7454 W. Balmoral Avenue
Chicago, IL 60656
(312) 744-1965
Neighborhood: Oriole Park/O'hare

Jefferson Park (Far Northwest Side)
5363 W. Lawrence Avenue
Chicago, IL 60630
(312) 744-1998
Neighborhood: Jefferson Park

West Addison (Far Northwest Side)
7536 W. Addison Street
Chicago, IL 60634
(312) 746-4704
Neighborhood: Dunning

Galewood-Mont Clare (Far West Side)
6969 W. Grand Avenue
Chicago, IL 60707
(312) 746-5032
Neighborhood: Montclare